I had a rowing machine at home when I lived in Chicago, which would have been back in the late 1980s... so unfortunately I can't help. The one I had didn't fold but it also wasn't as long as the ones I see at the gym. I think it might have had wheels on one end so you could stand it up and roll it. It was a good workout, as long as I was careful about sitting correctly to avoid straining my lower back, especially in winter when it was too cold and snowy to go outside.